Hi, I am from Germany and want to go to California and get at least 50 jumps during my vacation in May to break the 200 required for wingsuiting.

Because I am not a rich guy, I checked cheap places to jump and, of course, came down to Lodi, CA. But I've heard and read a lot about a rather bad reputation of aircraft safety and the rather rude vibe. Is that still like that? And is the place also busy during weekdays?

Regarding that I decided that it's worth spending a few more bucks if I am having more fun and higher safety standards and I heard really great things about Elsinore, they also got good block ticket rates. But this place seems smaller than the (little more expensive) Perris neighbourhood. Can you guys tell me how many loads Elsinore is turning on average weekdays in May? Will I be able to get 50 jumps within one week? Of course a good thing would be going to Perris on weekdays and to Elsinore on weekends, but I want to buy only one ticket block. Can you help me out here?

I go to Elsinore almost all the time when I'm not in Perris. Elsinore has $25 jump ticket, management is very professional and friendly, jumpers too, I really love the place, they also do free coaching camps and you can find Douglas Spotted Eagle, a very knowledgeable wing-suit instructor so you can talk to him for any question you might have. I never been to Lodi, but I can talk for Elsinore, I LOVE IT!

At one time, the FAA had some pretty solid resaons to disagree with you. Seeing as all of those reasons were not related to the outward appearance of the aircraft, what leads you to believe that any of the problems have been taken care of?

Let's remember that another one of the DZOs aircraft was downed due to skipping a simple required inspection on a fuel pump. However, it appears that he didn't learn anything from that incident, becasue at a later date he also allowed his Otter to fly without the required inspection of the wing attachment bulkheads.

You could argue that the failed engine in the King Air didn't bring the plane down, and that it was the pilots mis-managment of the engine failure, but that doesn't change the fact that the skipped inspection was a huge factor, and that the DZO continued to skip inspections after the incident. What sort of pilot action would save an Otter if there was a failure of the wing attachment bulkhead?

In my book, the DZO has lost all credibility, and unless he's willing to bring in an impartial inspector for his 100hr inspections, any in-house MX work 'claimed' to be completed will forever be suspect.

I did a few jump at Lodi, you just go up to the counter and ask for tickets, and off you go. No gear check or nothing. I think though, if you looked like you had no idea what you were doing, someone would intervene. There are some good people there, the planes I have no idea. Probably somewhat limited my willingness to do many jumps there.

You can get 50 jumps in Elsinore a week if the military is there. Elsinore does training for the British Military, and when I was there they were turning loads like crazy for the Brits. Maybe see when they are doing that and plan accordingly. I had a great time at Elsinore, the bunkhouse is plain but very adequate, the people really friendly, the dropzone picturesque, the landing area large enough. I would highly recommend it over Lodi. They also have 20 and I think 50 jump packages which brings the price closer to $23/jump. There is also a cheap food stand with good pork sandwiches! Clear choice in my opinion. Also, i found Elsinore to be much nicer than perris, especially the bunkhouse. I also like the small dz feel versus perris.

Thanks to all of you for your input! I guess I will do the majority of my jumps at Elsinore. However I am curious about all the rumors going on about Lodi, maybe I will check it out for a few jumps if the weather is okay.

You missed the best possible time to come and jump in Elsinore as there was a group of 90 europeans from Norway, Sweden, Germany, Slovenia etc here for a Freefly camp called flyfly. Averaged 40 loads during the weekdays for the past 2 weeks non stop

Yup, dave is right on around 8-10 ish during regular weekday jumping. Though Thurs - Sunday they have amazing organizers to jump with. And if for some reason it's dead then you could always drive 25min out to Perris and see what is happening there or just hit up the tunnel there if its raining and what not.

Almost all the organizers at elsinore will give you some coaching debriefing and tips as time permits but nothing like you would get from a full day with 1 on 1 training with someone like andy malchiodi or someone of that nature.

But hey its a better than nothing and we pass on all we learn from those better than us to the next group of skydivers progressing. Its what the guys above us are doing now and have been for free, at least in socal, and certainly what those of us learning from them are doing. There is alot of talent out there and way to many people trying to only make a profit and better themselves vs giving back. off my soap box. try to be more like socal other areas

hope you make it down to experience what all the dz's here have to offer

Almost all the organizers at elsinore will give you some coaching debriefing and tips as time permits but nothing like you would get from a full day with 1 on 1 training with someone like andy malchiodi or someone of that nature.

But hey its a better than nothing and we pass on all we learn from those better than us to the next group of skydivers progressing. Its what the guys above us are doing now and have been for free, at least in socal, and certainly what those of us learning from them are doing. There is alot of talent out there and way to many people trying to only make a profit and better themselves vs giving back. off my soap box. try to be more like socal other areas

hope you make it down to experience what all the dz's here have to offer

Don't get me wrong-- I'm totally willing to pay good money for coaching. Good coaches deserve it. I'm shelling out a ton of money right now for good tunnel coaching with a great coach, and it's money well spent. But, I do appreciate the guys with the mentality of trying to pay it forward or help progress the next generation of skydivers. I like this approach in all walks of life-- not just skydiving. Weather I get coaching from you or not, I hope to run into you and buy you a beer when I'm down in SoCal one of these days

Lodi, if you go there by yourself and not such a badass, you might have some difficult time there, but plus side is cheap tickets and there is real tunnel, sfbay.

Elsinore, friendly environment and have organizer thur, sat and sun, and there are two fake tunnels, hollywood and perris, and if wingsuiting is main goal there is great program over at elsinore that will accomodate jumpers with over 200 jumps, and the view from the up top is much better than Lodi, Perris. Also Elsinore has amazing weather, such a drastic difference between Perris and Elsinore despite of 10 mile separation.

Perris is 20 min drive away, and there are more rules, killing the fun factor but there are other perks as well, there is restaurant on site, load organizer everyday. pool and shade for the hot summer days, and there are people who will pick you up if you land off.